How do I use Diatomaceous Earth?

I've had this question a couple of times this week (aren't fleas fun!), and I now have answers. Diatomaceous earth kills pests like fleas and bed bugs and even cockroaches(!) by being so sharp that it cuts through the waxy exoskeleton and dehydrates the little bugs. DE looks like baby powder and feels much like it too. The danger to humans is inhaling the stuff, so if you're gonna be coating your yard with it, a dust mask is good. (Of course, if you're like me, you have a flea problem and no dust masks handy. Just try not to breathe too much in. No worries, though, I'm fine!)

Anyway, to kill the bugs, they actually have to contact the DE physically. So you sprinkle it down and leave it. DE does not have the instantaneous action of chemical pest control sprays--the fleas don't just keel over dead. This process takes a couple of days. However, DE doesn't have the environmental ramifications of chemical controllers either. It's safe for earthworms, doesn't cause dreadful results when it washes away with the rain, and won't hurt your pets or kids when they lick it. In fact, DE is perfectly safe to rub on your own skin (to kill lice for example), to mix in food, or coat your pets with for long lasting pest control.

My advice if you have a flea breakout like the ones I'm hearing of this week: Buy a 50 pound bag of DE. Mow your lawn down and sprinkle the DE all over the yard. Coat your pets in the stuff (might also give them a Capstar). Sprinkle DE on pet beds, carpets and along baseboards in the house. Wait a couple of days. Vacuum entire house with a flea collar in the vacuum bag. (Never use a flea collar on your animal--dreadful for them!) Bathe dogs. Resprinkle pet beds and along baseboards. Leave DE there indefinitely. Redust dogs. Keep up normal application of Frontline or whatever you use to keep fleas off the dogs. (I know some people are completely anti-chemical; however, fleas are so uncomfortable for dogs and can cause tapeworms, so I still use the chemical blockers on the animals and the DE for yard and house. It's called compromise.)

Useful links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth
http://www.richsoil.com/diatomaceous-earth.jsp

Important caveat: You can buy DE at garden nurseries, but you MUST get the food-grade DE. The stuff they use in swimming pools has been treated differently and is far more dangerous!